The design of propellers for powering aircraft and boats and the like and for use as axial flow propeller fans has become quite sophisticated with complex aerodynamic shapes being devised for the blades used on such propellers. Theory and practical aspects of such designs may be found, for example, in Marks' Mechanical Engineers Handbook, by McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. 6th Edition, at pp. 11-105 to 11-115 and pp. 14-66 to 14-76.
As set forth in the foregoing handbook at p. 11-109, static thrust produced by the usual propeller, per horsepower input to the propeller, is usually in the range of 3 to 4 pounds and is seldom if ever over about 5 pounds. It is apparent, accordingly, that a propeller which could produce a substantially greater static thrust per horsepower input would allow propulsion of aircraft and boats to be attained with substantial savings in energy as compared to that required at present.